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Severe Mismanagement in Rajasthan Senior Citizen Pilgrimage Exposes Harsh Realities
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News18•16-10-2026, 12:14
Severe Mismanagement in Rajasthan Senior Citizen Pilgrimage Exposes Harsh Realities
- •Elderly pilgrims faced severe hardship during the 130 km bus journey to Gangasagar without restroom stops or water, and were stranded for 6 hours after a vehicle breakdown.
- •Instead of promised three-star hotels, 970 senior citizens were crammed 6 to 8 people per room in stinking dharamshalas with non-functional ACs and poor sanitation.
- •Pilgrims were served stale, foul-smelling food at odd hours, denied a third roti, and forced to wait until 11 AM for cold tea and breakfast.
- •Contractor staff intimidated and threatened elderly passengers, coercing them to sign satisfaction forms to cover up severe mismanagement.
- •Government officials, security personnel, and medical teams were entirely absent during the trip, and Devasthan Department officials ignored phone calls.
Key Questions Answered
Senior citizens faced extreme mismanagement, humiliation, and poor conditions, including being served stale food and crammed 6 to 8 people into single rooms in stinking dharamshalas instead of the promised three-star hotels.
During the 130-kilometer bus journey, contractor staff refused to stop the vehicle for restrooms and water requests. When the bus later broke down, elderly passengers were left stranded on the road for about six hours without food or water.
Pilgrims were served leftover, stale food at night, with extreme delays for tea, breakfast, and meals. When they asked for a third roti, staff behaved rudely and later threatened them and coerced them into signing satisfaction forms.
